Canon shooters jealous of the aggressively priced full-frame 24-megapixel Nikon D600 didn’t have long to wait. Canon is unleashing its lowest-price full-frame model ever, the 20MP Canon EOS 6D. Both Nikon and Canon’s cameras are priced at $2100, a steep discount from the price of the newly announced Sony A99, and from their big-brothers, the Canon 5D Mark III and the Nikon D800.

The 6D has very similar specs to the D600 in many ways, but there are some real differences. For pure photography, the Nikon has a few on-paper advantages. It shoots at 5.5 fps, compared to 4.5 fps for the Canon. It also features 39 AF sensors, compared to the Canon’s 11 sensors. Resolutions are almost equal, although the 24MP of the Nikon does give it a slight theoretical edge. Of course, until both cameras are in the market, we won’t know which of these numbers make a difference in real-world performance.

On the plus side for the Canon 6D, it integrates WiFi and even more importantly, GPS. With geotagging quickly becoming the most effective way to organize images, it’s about time that a leading camera vendor has included the feature in a DSLR. In a confusing bit of naming, the 6D is almost a direct successor to the 5D Mark II (unlike the 5D Mark III, which is priced much higher). For a slightly lower price, photographers get a faster camera — using the newer Digic 5 processor — with better AF and an improved sensor. Reflecting the improved sensor design, the 6D features an ISO range up to 25,600.

Nikon is more conservative, with the D600 only featuring ISOs up to 6,400. It’ll be interesting to see if this reflects superior low-light capability for the Canon once the cameras are both shipping. For videographers, both cameras will be an appealing choice, with 1080p recording at up to 30 fps and 720p at up to 60 fps. Another big difference is availability. The D600 is expected to ship later this week, while the Canon won’t be available until December.

Canon PowerShot S110: A mixed bag

Canon also updated its ultra-popular line of point-and-shoots. The new PowerShot S110 features an updated design and new 12.1-megapixel sensor, as well as upgraded electronics for faster operation. While an impressive upgrade to the S100 in almost every way, Canon has inexplicably removed the popular GPS feature. Instead the S110 offers built-in WiFi, with the intention of relying on the GPS data from your smartphone to tag images as they are uploaded to the cloud. That seems completely backward to me. While it is great to have the option of using a phone for uploading, requiring photographers to have a turned-on, GPS-enabled phone nearby to use their camera to its fullest simply begs the question of why carry a separate camera at all. For me personally, I’m likely to look for a discounted S100 rather than taking the plunge on an S110 without GPS.

Canon PowerShot G15: Purist point and shoot keeps on improving

Canon’s newest G model, the PowerShot G15, also features the Digic 5 processor found in Canon’s other new models, as well as a larger 3-inch LCD. Its new sensor helps the model lift its top ISO to 12,800. Video recording is improved with a 1080p capture mode. All that is packed into a slightly smaller package than its predecessor, the PowerShot G12.

wmac–Yes, I wonder about that too. Until the camera comes out it’ll be hard to say how much that matters (since camera companies keep improving the sensors themselves and the AF circuitry), but it did seem pretty sparse for a $2K model.

Svwvk

David Cardinal , are you for real? get your head out of Canon’s ass and smell the reality. have you ever held a camera??

http://www.cardinalphoto.com David Cardinal

Did you have a point, or just too much time on your hands?

Svwvk

I did not post this comment. I was logged in at public computer. Please delete it. I apologize.

ee mail

another 2D camera !!!

ExtremeTech Newsletter

Subscribe Today to get the latest ExtremeTech news delivered right to your inbox.

Use of this site is governed by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Copyright 1996-2016 Ziff Davis, LLC.PCMag Digital Group All Rights Reserved. ExtremeTech is a registered trademark of Ziff Davis, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Ziff Davis, LLC. is prohibited.